How To: lock carrier service position

[MOGolf]

This is my preferred method of putting the B5.5 lock carrier into the service position. Have the front of the car up on ramps, or the car on a lift. This will make it easier when you access retainers underneath.

With T25 Torx - Remove three horizontal screws and...

one vertical wheel well screw in each wheel well

With T30 Torx - remove the top lock carrier screw on each side. While working on the left side, you might want to remove the trim around the power steering reservoir, and release the wiring from the holder behind the headlamp.

With T30 Torx - remove top grille screw on each side

Using #2 Phillips screw driver remove the intake duct screws

Using a pick or screwdriver release top grille lock tab. You might stuff a little paper wad in there to keep it released.

 

[MOGolf]

part 2

Using non-marring wedges pry up on the lower edge of the grille to access locking tabs. Use a flat blade screwdriver, or pick tool, to release the front facing edge from under the bumper trim.

Work your way across the bottom of the grille. There are four lower grille tabs.

To make this easier in the future, use a utility knife to create a notch as shown. You'll be able to slip a pick tool in easier to push back on the tab to release it.

Now hold the grille out of the way, and remove the four T30 bumper skin screws.

Release the fog light grille by pushing down at the indicated position, tilting the grille, and pulling it straight out towards the front of the car.

Reach in and release the fog light wiring. Typical VW connector with locking tab on the far side. Repeat procedure for the other side. If you don't do this now, you will have to hold the bumper skin and release the wiring later. This is much more awkward but doable (especially if you have an assistant holding the bumper skin).

 

[MOGolf]

part 3

Use a flat blade screwdriver to remove three underneath fasteners. Two brown, and one black (center). Do not remove the nut at the front of the under-engine cover at this time.

Slide the bumper skin forward a bit on one side, and pull straight off the side light wiring. Slide the skin back into position, and repeat the procedure on the other side.

Now you can slide the bumper skin off completely.

Release air duct tabs on the bottom of the intercooler air duct, then slide it down to release from the top tab, and maneuver the air duct over the horn to remove.

Remove the T30 lock carrier side screws. Note that one holding the washer fluid bottle has the wider washer. There is only one screw on the other side. Also note that the lock carrier is positioned behind the metal support. This is how it should look upon reassembly.

Next come the seven main T45 bolts. Three on the left, and four on the right. (Some mechanics seem to think there should be four on each side and add one in the empty hole on the left.) Do not remove the small nut. Do not break off the stud that the nut is on. Remove the lower T45 bolt indicated, and its counterpart on the other side.

Screw in the 3411 TOOL (or use M8 x 1.25 x 160mm (5.5 inches) long bolts). Then remove the other T45 bolts.

At this time you can go under the vehicle and remove 10mm nut, the other retainers in the wheel wells, and along the back edge of the lower engine cover and drop it straight down. This gives access to the lower pressure hoses that connect to the cross tube. Position their retainer clips in the service position, and pull the hoses out of the cross tube.

The lock carrier can now slide forward on the 3411s/bolts.

Assembly is the reverse of removal.

 

[vw4life]

WOW! Excellent. Bookmarked and saved offline for future reference.

Thanks for the detailed description MOGolf.

 

[DeliveryValve]

Big Thank you to MOGolf! I am 100% certain I will be doing this to my car someday!

 

[Lug_Nut]

Beauty!
Saved to a memory stick for off-line reference.


Learning from your own mistakes is over-rated.
It's far better to learn from other's.

 

[compu_85]

In the Bently manual it mentions putting tape on the front corners of the fenders to prevent them from getting scratched. Doing my dad's 1.8T timing belt we found the tape was critical in protecting the fenders.

-Jason